Dawning of the New Year...

túrána hott kurdís by hasta la otra méxico! from Till Credner on Vimeo.

See this video for a condensed bit of time-lapse sky gazing. And know that 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy.
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Today ends 2008. Tomorrow a new day, a new year, full of possibilities. What governs this calculation of time is literally our place in the universe, something I was thinking about last night as I gazed at the glorious crescent moon and opulent Venus.
If you do not sky gaze, make it one of your New Year's Resolutions to begin.
The sky is always amazing and always a source for reflection on beauty, the cosmos, on things bigger than ourselves and wholly detached from the petty goings on down here at human level. The universe is pretty grand, and that's all there is to it!
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As we are just human, wandering on the surface of our lovely planet, our thoughts for the New Year tend to have more terrestrial roots.
Given that, I hope you are all looking to toast the turning of time with the universal toast: "To your Health". That is probably the best toast - and the best New Year's resolution we can all make.

Our health is one of the few things that we can truly change through our personal actions (or inaction, as the case may be), and it is by far the most precious thing we own on a personal level. Each of us knows deep in our being what we are lacking and what we need to do if we can summon the focus to accept it. Be it exercise or eating healthier foods, quitting smoking or other addictive behavior. Working on our health from within.

There are also the things that are outside of us that influence our health negatively and it is up to us to moderate those as best we can. Try to remove toxins from your lifestyle, be they chemical air fresheners, super toxic cleaners or moldy furnace filters. And always try to use the safest, least harmful products available - which, of course, is why we are in business. We hope you choose the soaps and basic body care products from Simmons Natural Bodycare for 2009 and beyond!

We wish you a Merry...

Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah... the holiday which speaks to you in these cold, dark days of winter.

And all the best now and for the coming year...

May your days be warm and safe and your future be bright.

May the world see more peaceful, more balanced times in 2009.

May we find the time to relax, time to share, time to enjoy life.

May we find peace with who we are and who others are, as well.

May we find acceptance of those things that are new and different, freedom from fear, and the strength to face our challenges.

May we bring a smile to our friends and family.

May our life journey be one of wonder and curiosity and endless discovery.

From our home to yours, our family to your family, all the best wishes for the Holidays and year to come.

"A Hungry Man...

... is an angry man" Bob Marley would sing. Sage fellow, Marley.

I have been thinking a lot lately, perhaps inspired by this season - as it were - of "giving", about the way poverty and need have such broad ranging effects on the way we humans treat each other. To me it appears as if we Americans often see those who are destitute as lazy, as crazy, as being in despair, as living in a third world country, as different from us... as dangerous.

Yet this is actually about the point in our existence where we are all exactly the same. We all want to be healthy. We all want to have enough food and adequate shelter and, given that, provide for our families. When we can provide those basics for our families, we hope to better our lives and have our children be educated... For children are the future and education is the key that unlocks its potential.

We also, fairly universally, do not want to be dependent on others. And finding ourselves through circumstance to be forced to be in that position individually, as a family, group, community, or tribe, can elicit deep emotions from frustration to sorrow to rage. Yes, a hungry man is an angry man, and an impoverished community is desperate. It is difficult to focus on peace, education, or anything but survival when times are hard and the situation is only one of frustration.

And hard times are here. The economy has reached a tipping point and the results are being felt at all levels, with the promise of a slower time before it gets any better. We could be in it for a long haul. But as difficult as things may be getting for us, with those for whom it has always been rough it is now harder still. While the number of those in need in our towns, our states, our country and, in fact, the world, gets to be more and more, the ability of others to help support them is decreasing. Food banks and other charities are facing more challenges than ever trying to do their important work.

While there should be no specific season of giving - generosity and caring for others should always be part of our lives - the Christmas season is traditionally associated with the spirit of sharing with those less fortunate than ourselves. We would like to share a few of our favorite methods and organizations who do good work.

Of course, do what you can to support your community. Volunteer or otherwise assist the schools, churches, food banks, and other groups that tend to the health, welfare, and education of our neighbors.
Be aware of what is happening in the larger picture and follow your heart to participate and support those issues which speak to you. From donations to writing letters to mentoring a child, your effort is valuable. Visit someone who is housebound and lonely, take food to someone who is hungry.

Many fine organizations exist which address the needs of others on every level. We particularly like:
Heifer International, working to end hunger and care for the earth by giving people around the world the knowledge and tools they need to improve their environment and support themselves.
The Stamp Project is one’s woman’s simple organization where you send stamps you tear off of letters and she sells them to a jobber and uses the money to support rural health programs in India and Nepal. Send stamps to: The Stamp Project, 340 Carter Street#2, Vallejo, Ca. 94590
Kiva is an online platform for making small loans (as little as $25) to entrepreneurs in the developing world, similar to the Grameen Bank of India, helping them lift themselves out of poverty.
Another simple way to help that is fun for even the youngest computer savvy child is a word game that gives away free rice through the U.N. world food program. While only 20 grains of rice are donated for each correct answer, it is a perfect example of how every little bit adds up... over 54 BILLION grains of rice have been donated since the game began. And you really do improve your vocabulary in the process. It drives me nuts when I don't know the correct answer!
The possibilities are endless.
The list goes on and on...

And, remember, every time you buy a bar of Simmons special Soap we donate 2% of its cost to Heifer International.

May your holiday be peaceful, joyous, and both prosperous and generous.

Over the meadow and through the woods...

Well, we had a delectable and fun Thanksgiving Holiday. A small one after last year's reunion (see the photo on our blog "Belonging"). Our son is traveling, but both daughter's families were here along with a few friends.

It really is a trek to get here... to Grandmother's house, as it is. Where we live is very rural and the highway is the kind of winding road that separates those who must have fresh air and the front seat from the rest of us. Actually, I belong to the fresh air group myself. I never saw the road to my own Grandmother's house in Pennsylvania. My parents drugged me with Dramamine before they let me near a car, and I slept en route to everywhere we went. Fortunately, none of our clan needs medication to make the journey.

I find it interesting that one of the things that always impresses everyone about our holiday meals is that I save the ends of bread all year to make stuffing. Is this so odd? Once they start to dry out (or before they mold) I will take bread and tear it into small pieces and spread it out in a shallow bowl to dry. Once dry I put it in a gallon jar to save for stuffing. It makes for interesting and very good sage stuffing - I have mostly whole wheat bread with sunflower seeds and cracked grains in it, but also white sourdough, rye bread, whatever comes through the house. It is such a favorite that I need two full gallons of dried bread to make enough! It can be made vegetarian or not and is good all year. Here is the recipe:

Simmonsville Sage Stuffing
(Measurements are approximate)
4 cups dried bread cubes or pieces, all kinds
1 c. chopped onion
6 cloved diced garlic
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped mushrooms
Bell's Seasoning
salt
Pepper
Paprika
Chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten in 1 c. water or stock.
1/4 c. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Saute onions in oil and butter until soft, add garlic and other vegetables and saute until mushrooms are soft and celery still slightly crunchy.
Place bread in large bowl. Add cooked vegetables. Put a little water in the pan, swirl and add to bread mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper and up to 1 tablespoon of the Bell's Seasoning.
Toss it all together, then add the egg liquid and a liberal amount of sweet paprika. Toss again and correct the seasoning as needed.
If stuffing a bird remember to do it loosely to leave room for expansion. As a bird-less side dish, place stuffing in covered casserole, dot with butter, cover and bake until heated through - about 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.
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So, with Thanksgiving behind us we are left with a very small window ahead for getting all the Christmas/Hanukkah orders out. How this season gets compressed!
For us, part of the difficulty lies with our wonderful, but remote, location. One pays the price for being far from urban centers. In our case, for one thing, it slows delivery time.

During regular order flow we ship 2 times weekly, Monday and Thursday. That way all orders go out within 1-3 business days. Once we start in the morning the race is on to get the UPS orders ready before the driver gets here - between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Then we can take a break, as the Postal Service pick up is on their way back to town around 3:30 p.m. (we would never make their morning schedule of 9:30 a.m.).
If we receive an order after the orders are shipped, it will go out the next shipment day. When order volume is up, we ship more days per week to make sure all the orders get out within the same week (excepting orders received after pick up on Fridays). We are shipping every day this time of year.

So, while ground shipping and Priority Mail generally take a "normal" amount of time, due to our remote rural location 3-day generally takes 4 days. What happens is, when the driver gets back to the main office in town after driving his 120 - 230 mile route, the express plane has already left, delaying the package by 1 day.
This is why we do not offer overnite (which is impossible from here) or 2-day, except in very special circumstances, which is a lot more expensive considering it cannot be that fast anyway.

When a customer lets us know it is imperative a package arrive by 'X' date, we do everything we can (and they are willing to pay for) to get it there on that date. But we always recommend that you order up to 2 weeks ahead to guarantee early delivery, as for a gift.

So, with this in mind should you want to bestow a gift of our special Soaps or lovely Gifts this Holiday Season, here is our Holiday Shipping Schedule.

Last possible dates to place orders for on time delivery of Christmas Gifts:

UPS Ground
East Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Military & Territories: order by Dec. 14 to ship on Dec.15
Rocky Mountain States to Midwest: order by Dec. 16 to ship Dec. 17
Western States: Order by Dec. 17 to ship on Dec. 18
UPS 3 Day Select
From anywhere: Order by 10 a.m. Dec. 18 to ship Dec. 19
U.S. Priority mail
Order from anywhere by 10 a.m. Dec. 18 to ship on Dec.20

Change is in the Air...

This country is nothing if not amazing. What an election!
Yet again, a peaceful r/evolution from one group to another. As we write the outgoing administration works together with the new for the transition to go smoothly.

I have always been non-partisan. I do not follow completely any party's platform, I vote for the people and programs that I believe will do what needs to be done. And, now, I am ecstatic about the possibilities for the future.
It will be a long hard road to get this country economically and otherwise stable again but, with an attitude change away from the philosophy of fear, I think great things are possible.
But then, I believe in manifestation. And I believe the future of the U.S.A., as well as that of the world, depends on the participation of all of us.

The transition team has put up a website where you can learn more about President-Elect Obama and Vice-President Elect Biden, and about their proposed agenda. But more intriguingly, they ask for your vision and opinions to help shape the future. This site promotes open government through both transparency and participation.

I want to share here the experience of someone who was at Grant Park in Chicago as the beginning of this monumental change was confirmed:

I was there to share History. Obama is now, my President - too!

I don't know why, but I feel spirited for some reason - may be, because I am always known to find the hidden gems in moments.. no matter
how distraught time seems, at the time.

It was an amazing experience to stand in the midst of 250,000 people all chanting: 'yes we can"...and filled with hope.. my husband Chris and I in our beloved
Chicago - surrounded by this ocean of love, hope and joy....emanating from fellow humans..
I must say - i was moved to tears too....... and I am not, ; I stand corrected - I WAS not an Obama supporter till last night!

Crowds, row upon row of an elated people....bonded in some magical, invisible yet powerful joy and hope filled way .
Young and old, men and women, dressed up and dressed down - with flags, badges, slogan covered shirts - clutching that palpable air of elation and joy, eyes misty, yet mouths wreathed in smiles....striding purposefully yet politely towards giant jumbo trons that beamed the heralding a new era in global politics.

They waited. Patiently .
It was not a sports arena.
It was not a rock concert.
It was not the winner of a big lottery to be announced over national television.
It was just a balmy night in Grant Park, Chicago.
Yet they waited. Calmly, patiently. With bated breath.
Waited to hear what one man had to say, as he took a mantle , before he took a title, a title conferred to him,
of the people, by the people, for the people - a grand finale to events that culminated a glowing autumn day.

It may be sentimental to say that their eyes were bright as well, but of all the subtle corrosives that broke down the old order and gave rise to the new America,
surely none is as important as the spread of confidence and hope that filled the air around, to an extent unprecedented and as yet unmatched in modern American political history.

People tire of government, tire of endless debates, tire of wars, tire of poverty and above all tire of indifference and apathy from their chosen leaders. Having a democracy that is yet controlled and promoted and sustained by the powers that be, of big corporate interests, or to be held captive by corrupt politicians - to continue only as a 2 party system. Having to live with one of two pre determined leaders, being forced to vote for one of two 'nominated' candidates is bound to be the demise of the enthusiastic voter.....

We know all these things to be true--and yet there, in Grant Park, Chicago, last night, Nov 4th, 2008, I saw a counter case. People had shifted. Energies moved.
A demographic Himalaya suddenly rising on my mental atlas.
It was if someone demonstrated to me in a lab that flame didn't necessarily need oxygen, or that water could freeze at 60 degrees.
It demanded of me, a new chemistry to explain it, a whole new science.... to understand this new brave American Spirit!!

America is indeed still filled with hope and love... people like each of you who so tirelessly work so that you can share your life's passion for life ..is the direct opposite of a global market. It is the essence of an enterprise, so exquisitely local--it demands democracy, literacy, participation, a true cooperation...of its people on a scale that is unprecedented before.

This is a land where the mantle of leadership has passed gently without blood shed from one leader to another... a non relative... over and over again....for 200 years that is karma that cannot be pushed away. That is priceless.

Like Ron Paul, my political star said today : "And, most of all, we have awokened within ourselves a spirit of freedom and independence that cannot be suppressed by any ruler, army, or philosophy of subservience and fear. Yet we must not reflect long. We must press our efforts and lay the groundwork for the future of our movement and our country. ...let the revolution begin. "

I say to you all:
Support Obama.
Not his party, not his politics, not his rhetoric.
But the man. The man who is now your president. The vision he espoused yesterday as your president.
President of the American people. Question his politics, question his policies, seek clarity when you are confused by his party ideas, or him.
Challenge him when you think he is wrong.
Seek and enforce that he rely NOT on color or race or status BUT ON integrity in his decision's for America and Americans.
Demand truth, justice and equality.
But for now, at this moment of a triumph for a nation, for a people who for so long -only dreamed of this day, that a day like this would come to pass in their lifetimes....
- set aside pettiness, strife and insecurities.

This is a colossal moment in History, and you have a leader. Help him be a real leader.
He is no demigod. But a man. A human like you and like me. Human with fragilities, a human who needs both questioning and support.
Your support to help him take the correct decisions and lead this nation along the right path, always.

Don't forget that nation's have destinies that are greater than individuals...

This is OUR LAND.., This is OUR EARTH . .. this is OUR MOTHER.. giver of our Life to live, cherish and protect and that WILL Prevail.... against all odds.
Let America be the one that brings that beacon of hope again!

Yes We Can!

Blessings, love and light.
A'isha Be

Aisha Bauer from www.eSutras.com

The Countdown...

The last days before the election are ticking away. Are you registered? Have you read the voter pamphlets, figured out enough about the candidates and issues to make some kind of decision? Do you know where your polling place is?
If you haven't done those things yet, this weekend is the time to get it done. here are some resources that can help:
Find your polling place at: Vote 411
The League of Women Voters has information on the Presidential candidates as well as all state contests and measures for California, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. Local elections are covered in the most populous counties in California and in Hamilton County, Ohio, the St. Louis, Missouri area (several counties), and Westchester County, New York.
Check your local TV Station, news and State government websites for local issues and candidates.
I never get tired of saying VOTE!!! Vote as if your future depended on it.

Lastly, on another topic, remember at 2 a.m. on November 2, 2008, Daylight Savings Time ends. Turn your clocks back one hour (Fall back... Spring forward, as the saying goes) when you go to bed and enjoy that extra hour of sleep!

Frost on the Pumpkin...

We saw the first migrating geese fly over last week. I start to become anxious waiting to see them this time of year. It's easy to miss them if I'm in the house or shop - you cannot hear them then. But outside their presence is heralded by such a commotion of honking you hear them long before they are in sight, even when they fly so high you can barely see them. I don't think they can flap their wings without commenting on it! This annual migration is one of the great hallmarks of the turning of the seasons for me. More than anything else it signals the coming of long nights and cold weather.

And now we have had the first hard frost. It dipped into the 20's last night, putting an end to all the watering and much of the work in the garden. Also an end to the basil and tomatoes and such – after we eat all the ones that are now ripening in the house! We are still trying to finish all the pre-winter list. Cleaning gutters, coiling hoses and removing filters that keep the drip irrigation from clogging. There is still firewood to split and stack, projects to wrap up, hammocks, folding chairs, and such to put away until next year.

The business prepares for what we call the "Holi-Daze", when we work hard to ship gifts on time for our customers while we ponder when we will get to do our own. All the soap for Christmas has to be made long before Thanksgiving to be cured and ready in time. Woolie soaps must be felted and gift assortments figured out, baskets ordered, flowers dried, all well ahead of November. The economy is bad in many ways, but we must prepare as if everything is the same. We cannot afford not to be there for our customers.

We love putting together the gift assortments. We try to anticipate what might be most fun, most useful, most attractive to each of you when you see the gift in a store display. For the gifts that are sold via the internet store we try to give each a personal touch to compliment what you have chosen to put in the basket. The dried flowers we add are from our, or a friend's, garden. A few are wild everlasting flowers that we gather locally. Our feeling is we try to make each gift as if it is for our own best friend.

We hope our soaps and other products are the personal gift that pleases all who receive them. See our offerings on Simmons Natural Bodycare's gift pages.

To Every Thing There is a Season... Abundance - Part 2

We are just having the first rains of the fall season. Days in the garden are now limited and the plants know it - things are ripening at an alarming rate. Getting things harvested and in the house before they are overripe is a job that leaves no slack. Do it now or lose your food. The same goes for getting the food processed before it rots or the fruit flies get to it. It is harvest season and that's all there is to it - no matter what else is on the schedule. It makes for late nights and/or early mornings.

While we preserve a lot of food every year, we wanted to really fill the pantry in this year of economic uncertanties. On top of that, to compensate for a possible early hard freeze, we planted three small greenhouses with extra vegetables... just in case. The surprise dip in temperature we had last year in September killed all our basil, squash (summer, winter, melons, cucumbers - all of it), and most of the tomatoes. Well, the early freeze did not happen this time and we are swimming in vegetables. Currently it is tomatoes.

Thankfully we love tomatoes, and they are possibly the most versatile vegetable for storage. They can be made into a vast variety of sauces and condiments, can be dried, frozen, or canned and, picked end of season green, will ripen slowly in a cool dark, place giving you fresh eating tomatoes into the winter months. We prefer drying and canning over freezing as neither requires energy for storage.

We do not dry many tomatoes, usually only cherry tomatoes and, this year, a variety called Principe Borghese. I learned about these reading Barbara Kingsolver's fine book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle". These tiny, paste-type tomatoes dry readily when sliced. I look forward to trying them out this winter. The cherry tomatoes we halve and dry, cut side up. We call them "tomato raisins" as they are sweet eaten out of hand. A treat in salads, especially grain based salads, we like to toss them in casseroles and cooked vegetable dishes. No pre-soaking required.

But the bulk of the crop goes into jars. I originally canned only plain peeled tomatoes and plain tomato sauce that could be seasoned any way I liked and otherwise added tomatoes into the vegetable medleys we use for soup. Over time it dawned on me it was actually easier to have my own "fast food" by seasoning the sauce when I made it. This was even more versatile as I could add other ingredients which may not be available to me mid-winter. So we make onion-herb tomato sauce that is good for spaghetti or other Italian-style dishes. To this we occasionally add the end of a bottle of red wine for a ragu-style. I make a smooth enchilada sauce with Mexican seasonings and a chunky style Mexican sauce to add to chili. The main difference is whether I run it through a food mill or blender or a plain old meat grinder. We add peppers. onions, garlic to all of these. Herbs and spices as desired. The Italian style sauce may get the addition of everything from eggplant to zuchinni, the Mexican variation - chili peppers to tomatillos. Anything available seems to find its way into a jar. Then there is thicker sauce for pizza, catsup (when we really have more tomatoes than we know what to do with!), tomato juice and soup.

Then we do the condiments. There are many salsa variations we play with, but we always make a basic red hot sauce and a green hot sauce (which uses green tomatoes and tomatillos). Temperatures vary depending on which chili peppers did well that year. We also make sure to have a chunky style salsa to be used to dip chips or added to layered dip. A large part of our pantry is devoted to tomatoes - that's for sure!

As I write this there is a stock pot of red hot sauce simmering in the kitchen. Not just for Mexican style food, this is a favorite on rice dishes, casseroles and eggs around our house.
Here is the recipe for those of you who may enjoy this savory to spicy condiment. This is a sweet/hot sauce, almost chutney-like in flavor.

Red Hot Sauce
8 cups chopped, cored, tomatoes
1 - 1/2 cups seeded chopped red peppers, varying degrees of hotness!
(Use hot peppers as desired for your preferred degree of heat in the finished sauce.)
1 quart cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
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Combine tomatoes, peppers and 2 cups vinegar in a large saucepan until soft. Let cool, then blend in blender until pureed and return to pot (I generally use a second pot).
Add sugar and salt. Tie spices in cheesecloth or place in clean, small, muslin bag and secure top and add to sauce. Simmer until thick. Stir as needed to prevent sticking or scorching on bottom of pot. Add remaining 2 cups of vinegar. Simmer to desired thickness.
Ladle hot sauce into hot, clean jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust lids and process 15 minutes in boiling water bath.

Note: Remember that rubber/latex gloves are good when cutting and seeding hot peppers. At the very least, wash hands immediately afterwards with (Simmons) soap and water.
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I end now to go put my red hot sauce into the bail clamp beer bottles that we use to keep it. It will process, as any normal jar, in the canning kettle. Here's to a future spicy winter meal!

Vote! Vote! Vote!

Here in the United States, Election Day, November 4, is coming up soon. Very soon. Less than a month and a half... Everyone, possibly the entire world, knows this. However, for those who are not registered to vote, the action of getting registered can fall to the bottom of the "when I can get around to it" list.
If you are an U.S. citizen, the most important thing you can do is participate in the process that governs our country and vote. Here is a way to make it easy: just use this link to REGISTER TO VOTE !
Here, in California where I live, you can register until October 20. To find out the voter registration deadline in your state you can check here at Rock the Vote.

We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate. -Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)

I know I am repeating myself here, but it endlessly amazes me how many people do not take the time or have the interest or??? to get it together to participate in the only tool they really have to back up their interests in how their country, state, or city conducts business. It is not just about the presidential choice, although that is very, very, VERY important in my opinion, but this is your voice in the highways that get built, the money that goes to schools, what extra taxes are levied... the list goes on and on. In our family, we have the rule: "if you don't vote you cannot complain about the government and it's actions". If it is inconvenient for you to go to your local polling place, you can always vote by absentee ballot. We do. Our polling place is 1/2 hour away. On a work day it is not only inconvenient, but if we are very busy we may just forget until it is too late!

What does it say if you go out on the street and protest about things you don't like but are not willing to step up to the plate and cast a vote that would help nudge the direction of government and it's actions in the direction you believe is best? Voting, like so many things, may seem ineffective at the personal level - "it is only 1 vote, it won't make any difference" - but like drops of water in a bucket, each vote adds to the whole and creates change. Remember, non action is a vote as well, it is just as if you voted against yourself either by not neutralizing a vote against your beliefs or by not adding emphasis to the things you support.

So, and I cannot stress this enough, it is the ability to participate in government, to make our voices heard, that makes a great country. Be part of that. Get registered and VOTE in every election.

Late breaking news:
There is a new book out for first-time voters. The Rookie Voter Handbook by JamesTurner was inspired by his own coming-of-voting-age-son, and covers the essentials of voting and more, with topics such as: voter registration, absentee ballots/votes, lobbyists, national & local issues, pros & cons of hot current issues, earmarks, special interest groups, party-line voting, two-party system, the role of MONEY, voting for the person , attack ads, truth in advertising, single issue voting, going negative, Liberals, Conservatives, Moderates, & Independents, secrets and tricks used to persuade and manipulate voters, and much more...
Might not be bad information for some of us more seasoned voters as well!

Abundance... Putting Food By

Harvest season, that time of year when we are blessed with an abundance of vegetables. Sometimes it seems more like a curse as we try to stay ahead of it. If they were not so heavy I might just add a zucchini or cucumber to every soap order!
We hate to see anything go to waste so, what we cannot eat we try to get in jars to store for the winter season ahead. Only the occasional gargantuan summer squash that escaped our notice until it was over mature and such bypass us, our friends, or the canning kettle to become salad for the chickens.

It does become problematic as we try to keep the business going, do regular maintenance and preparation for winter, and keep on top of the bounty of the the garden before it turns to compost right in the garden. It is a busy time of year, running late nights just as the days are getting shorter trying to get everything done. But the garden and food are one of my passions. I am a dedicated plant-a-holic and determined to enter winter with a full pantry.

I must confess, with years of this sort of thing behind me it is not as much work as it might seem. Many things become an add on to making a regular meal, when we are in the kitchen anyway, and get processed while we eat. Some things, such as tomatoes, peaches, or making apple cider, are an all day affair and we generally have some friends or family over to share the bounty and the fun. We are truly fortunate.

But lately, watching the news, I am struck by comments on the economy and what it is doing to the price of food. Right now, worldwide, there is everything from protests about food prices to riots to rationing to famine. Some, as always, is caused by failed crops and weather related shortages. Some is caused by war and civil strife. But a lot is also caused by high energy prices. You know, energy like that spendy gallon of gasoline and the agriculture based biofuels they want to replace/ augment it with. Since 2001 overall food prices have increased by 75%!

Get used to it. Since the root cause appears to be higher energy and fertilizer prices (also often a petroleum byproduct - Buy Organic) the problem won't necessarily be solved by a better crop next year. And since 1/4 of the U.S. corn crop is now devoted to making ethanol (and more is mandated for the future) and so much food in this country is ultimately corn-based... well you see where this is going.

The good news is that, living in the U.S., chances are it will just be expense, rather than serious shortages, that plague us.

So we start vegetable seeds, garden, and fill the pantry against the year ahead. But what about the food we do not grow and people without gardens? Well, our family has been in a position both where every penny had to be accounted for and where we could not get to a store for weeks on end. As they say, necessity can be a great teacher. It taught us to buy in bulk. It taught us to learn about food preservation. It taught us to keep staples in the house at all times, especially those that do not require refrigeration. It taught us to eat in season, eat at home, and prepare our own food. The interesting aside to all that is we end up eating really, really well. For those who cook, having staples on hand can be a source of creativity and inspiration.

Everywhere I have lived I managed to make a food storage place. Sometimes we just commandeered a coat closet for food, adding shelves and bins, sometimes built bins that doubled as counters when the lids were closed. It is just a matter of creating a cool, dark, dry area. Our family long ago learned to only buy food we would actually eat. Rice, beans, cornmeal, oatmeal, flour, pasta, these long lasting staples are the backbone of our personal food economy. Airtight lidded buckets, gallon jars, small lidded trash cans are inexpensive or free containers that keep insects out and help preserve freshness. Just as important are the condiments and necessities that transform these staples into delectable meals, from dry milk and baking power, sugar and salt, to soy sauce and vinegar, herbs and spices. Keeping basics allows more flexibility when you buy the extras that make a meal.

Purchase one or two bulk items at a time, as works for you, and ultimately you find you always have the basics for what you need and your overall costs go way down. If roads close or commodities or money become scarce, you might like to know you have a culinary slush fund.

For us, the basics plus what we can and freeze, dry and store fresh in the cellar or in the garden itself, keeps us fed well, year round. Putting away food went from necessity to habit, and some might argue that, with me, it's a compulsion. But no one complains as they put in their order for their favorite jam, salsa, or pickles!

Over the years we have been doing this we've learned a lot of tricks and tips. If you have questions about anything from canning applesauce to zucchini bread, drying fruits, vegetables, or herbs, types of fresh storage, to types of equipment... post it, and I will answer all as best I can. I can always turn to my experienced neighbors for any information I may not have.

Happy Harvest!

Climate Change... seasons

The climate of our fair planet is going through some changes. Both natural cycles and mankind’s influence are affecting it on a broad scale, the combination of which could produce some pretty major transformation from what we are used to. How fast this will evolve is still unknown. But I can truthfully say that in my own lifetime basic weather patterns have changed a lot.

Here in California's far northwest, just inland from the coast, the general weather pattern was easy to predict. The sun was out full time by the end of May and you saw little or no precipitation of any sort until late July or August when there may be a thunderstorm or two. Come September there would be a rainstorm to remind you winter was coming and you better finish getting the firewood in for the winter. By November it would be raining full time. During winter it would snow one or more times at elevations over 2000 feet. In January and February you would probably get one full week of warm sunny weather to remind you not to despair, you can relax about building an Ark, and that the day will come when you are not wading through rain and mud everywhere you go. Periodic dry weather would increase through May and then the cycle would start over again. It had been like this as long as anyone could remember.

Back around 1970 this changed. That was the first year of a 7 year drought (meaning only 30 to 45 inches of rain, not 60 to 100). You would get up in the winter and the sun, low in the sky and too far away to be warm, would shine brightly blinding you with its low angle. Since then the weather has never resumed its old, predictable, pattern. There also seem to be more intense storms followed by long dry spells in the winter. This summer, as noted in our post "Fire on the Mountain" we had a wholly unusual thunderstorm in June! Our ability to adapt is already being put to the test - as well as that of all the local flora and fauna.

In some cultures bad weather and other natural catastrophes are attributed to displeasing the various Gods, or Spirits. In the cases where we have changed our own environment through pollution, from poisoned rivers to acid rain, the tons of plastic refuse in the oceans or greenhouse gases, I can only hope we have attained a point where we have displeased ourselves.

In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are
consequences. -Robert Green Ingersoll, lawyer and orator (1833-1899)

As a specie, our ability to change our habits to lessen our influence on the world's climate is one of the most important challenges facing us. Our ability to adapt to change, natural or man made, will determine our survival. These are interesting times.

Meanwhile, on the smaller scale, we undergo a climate change with each passing season and these fluctuations have an effect on our health, our skin, and even our temperament. Whether you go from hot and dry to cold and moist, warm and foggy to cool and soggy, or hot and humid to cold and dry, these changing conditions have their influence and the transitional season of fall gives us some time to prepare for the harsher (usually) environment of winter.

Not only is it time to boost your immune system, it is time to become aware of how the different conditions interact with your skin and complexion. Many people need to use more moisturizer in the winter months. Our lips may chap more readily in winter, but even more so in the transformational times of spring and fall. The dry, cracked, chapped heels and hands of those who garden or wear sandals in the summer months may fade, only to be replaced with dry skin elsewhere and hair that frizzes or otherwise reacts to the winter weather – both outdoors and in the now heated interior spaces of home and work.

While many notice the seasonal changes in their interior and exterior health, colds and flu have their “season” but changes in skin and hair fitness often are not related to the different climate conditions.

Time passes and things are always changing and, whatever the cause, it helps us maintain our health if we are aware of how these external differences act on our bodies and adapt our diet and personal care to flow with the seasons.

What can you find at Simmons Natural Bodycare to help you adapt to winter weather? Check out our moisturizing soaps, and our Apothecary section. You will find lotions, creams and balms to help keep your skin happy in every climate.

Belonging...

We are affiliated with a number of groups. It is human nature, I think, to belong to various groups, beginning with family and moving out. Belonging strengthens you and the other members of the group, as you enhance and enlarge the possibilities when you work together. It can be a support system for the benefit of all. Yet I don't feel it has to define who one is or make you beholden to mimic any group's belief's identically.

Take our immediate family. I love my family and feel very much a part of the group - yet we are all very different individuals, with different tastes, tempos, and basic beliefs in some cases. There is freedom to be oneself in this group without it jeopardizing one's membership even if it isn't always all smooth relationships. And we are there for each other in times of need.

Then there is the community. Our rural area is sparsely populated, but I suspect that makes the community stronger in some ways. Even if we do not know each other or participate in the same activities, I know the folks up here all feel they belong as a part of this region (or, perhaps, that it is part of who they are). We come together to support the events and organizations that define the locale, be it rodeo or festival, the school, or the rural clinic. We work together to help each other, improve things (school and clinic board, our volunteer fire dept. and emergency rescue team), and more. Within that are sub groups such as the back-to-the-land folks, the ranchers, the loggers, the old timers (you get to be one of those when there is no one else alive who can remember a time before your family was here. 30+ years and 3 generations counts for nothing!). These groups are separate generally, yet overlap comfortably when community events occur. Despite our differences there is common ground.

Beyond that many belong to groups that go well beyond community. Some are temporal, such as environmental organizations, political parties, volunteer care groups, or book clubs. Others are spiritual. Sometimes these overlap. And of course there is the group of citizens of a particular country.

Being an American, the same as being a citizen of another country, is usually a group, like family, that you are born into. And, like family, it should give you the freedom to be who you are with your own individual beliefs, that family does. Of course, I am speaking of freedom, not license to behave in a manner which results in excessive or unacceptable behavior.
Being a member of any group should in no way diminish your individuality. It should be a way for you to share it and to enhance and strengthen your relationship with the world around you.

And I feel is important not to forget we all belong to a bigger group, the family of Mankind and the family of Earth. We are all linked together as the inhabitants of this lovely habitable planet. In the big picture, we all look out for each other through our daily actions. With that knowledge subliminally in your mind, I believe you can live a conscious life.

Now...
That said, for citizens of the United States the time is coming up to assert your beliefs in an important way. VOTE!

We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
-Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)

As an U.S. citizen, the most important thing you can do is participate in the process that governs our country. If you haven't already, please use this link to REGISTER TO VOTE
While it may feel as though we are mere voices in the wilderness, and that our lone vote may not have any effect, these votes add up. For each issue, for every candidate, you belong to a group of like minded voters and by adding your vote to that group you help create the change you want to see for the future.

Water, water, everywhere...

"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink"

- Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, by Coleridge.

Here in our area summer is dry. Even the summer thunderstorms carry little moisture, which is why the Solstice storm was able to start so many fires. Dry lightning is a danger in a dry forest.

But even without fire, these long, dry summers make one hyper-aware of how precious water is. Well out of reach of municipal water supplies, each home or ranch is responsible for its own water supply. Developing a source, maintaining it, pumping and storage is up to each of us, and when that supply gets low, particularly if you garden or when there is a threat of fire in the vicinity, every drop of water counts.

Pretty much everyone is aware that water is the backbone of life as we know it. When they talk about traces of water indicating the possibility of life on Mars they may only be talking about bacteria... But without water - nothing at all. Luckily, we live on a very wet planet.
Earth's surface is almost 3/4 water, but despite that only a tiny amount is fresh water, available for humans and most animals to share. Merely 7 thousandths (.007%) of a percent of the water on Earth is accessible for human use!

Interestingly, this amount is fairly finite. We are not making more fresh water: it is a closed cycle (learn more about The Water Cycle). And, while we effectively reduce the amount of water available through pollution and other contamination, what we really need is access to more fresh water to support the Earth's growing population, agriculture, and industry. The numbers don't add up.

In many parts of the world water has traditionally been scarce and therefore a treasured commodity. But it is now becoming more precious even in places where it was once free and abundant. Perhaps we can start now to conserve water to prevent a last ditch effort to restore our aquifers or ration our supply. How you live, what you eat, what you use... all these things have a much bigger impact on water use than you may think. For instance, water is an important part of almost all manufacturing processes. Consider that it takes about 3 to 5 liters of water to manufacture a 1 liter water bottle - before you fill it! And that steak - there was a lot of water invested in the raising of that steer before it moved to the dining table.

[Speaking of bottled water... It is usually no better than the tap water in the location it was bottled in and is actually less regulated for contaminants than that tap water! Check out the Environmental Working Group's Guide for Safe Drinking Water.]

Check out this site to learn what your water footprint really is made up of, and then use the handy Water Footprint Calculator to see the impact you have as an individual on the world's water supply (Use this conversion tool to figure gallons from meters). You may be surprised!
See this great article, "Everything You Know About Water Conservation is- Wrong", in Discover magazine's online version for more on how water is used.

But, that said, you must have water to stay alive, to stay clean, to stay healthy. The biggest beauty aid there is is drinking enough clean water. It will keep you hydrated, which gives you healthy skin, helps remove toxins from your body, and keeps you healthy overall. And the true key to radiant beauty is health.

I don't think we need to be stingy with water - yet. But I do think it is important not to be wasteful of it. If you are watering your lawn and the water is running off down the street... that's overkill. Ditto for running water down the drain while brushing your teeth. Simply being conscious of your use can make big changes in your overall water consumption.

Many municipalities have laws regulating water use. I was made aware recently of water regulations in Denver, Colorado. Despite strict rules for greywater use (many health related and understandable... some not so much), I was relieved to see this in the law: "However, Denver Water customers are encouraged to catch unused clear water in a bucket or other container as it comes out of the tap and then use this water once; to mop floors, refresh pet water or water plants. For example, try catching water that comes out before the shower water warms up and then use this water to flush toilets or rinse the shower.” This is a great suggestion. Not only are you paying for this water that goes down the drain, but it is throwing away a valuable resource you can use to water plants, wash the sink, water your pets... You get the idea.
Then there was this: "Colorado Water Law requires that precipitation fall to the ground, run off and into the river of the watershed where it fell. Because rights to water are legally allocated in this state, an individual may not capture and use water to which he/she does not have a right.”
That’s right folks, in Colorado they do not have a RIGHT to the rainwater falling on their property because someone else OWNS it! Heck, if everyone caught every drop of rainwater the city (or water bottling plant) wouldn’t be able to sell it back to you.
If you are legally allowed to collect rainwater in your locale, AquaBarrel has a great storage method. This water can be used for landscaping and other uses while conserving your house water and lessening your water bill.
Just another little thing to be conscious of that is basic to life. As we acquire these habits we become more aware of the relationship of our lives to the world around us and the wonder of it all.


Update April 2009: We are only at 75% of normal rainfall - an average that was downgraded last time they recalculated it. There are predictions that this will be the year with the most wildfires in recorded history for the United States. Our water consciousness is greater than ever.

Update July 2012: Severe drought conditions exist across a broad swath of the United States & around the world. As the climate continues to warm this will probably persist. Check out this weekly updated World Drought Risk Map.

Update January 2014: Here we are, experiencing serious drought conditions here in California and the West in general. All this information is more pertinent than ever. Here are some more good water conservation tips.
And here is a good article in the Lost Coast Outpost on the situation here in Humboldt County right now(Jan. 2014).

Update April 2015: Another warm, dry, winter. Water is ever more precious in California, even in our traditionally wet corner of the state. You can view the current California drought conditions here.

Fire on the Mountain

The Solstice dawned here with welcome summer heat and glorious skies. These skies included the first puff of cumulus clouds that ultimately formed into towering thunderheads and afternoon storms, dramatic with lightning and sporadic fits of hail or giant raindrops.

A classic start to summer but for one thing - these storms sparked 100's of fires in the state, over 30 in our local area alone.

The next day there was the tell tale brownish streak of a cloud across the sky that can only be smoke and by Sunday morning we awoke to smokey skies and air. Today was even worse, you cannot see the top of the mountain across the canyon at all and our eyes are puffy, throats scratchy and everything tastes and smells of smoke. This with no fire really that close to us.
This affects all living beings. If you look closely, you will see a deer in the photo (bottom, right of center). They, the birds, and all the wildlife, are suffering the same ill effects to lungs and eyes that we are.

Nothing we can do about it except go somewhere else where it is not smokey or hope the wind comes up from the other direction and blows it away, rather than making it thicker, which is what has happened since I took the photo this morning.

But there are atmospheric pollutants in our lives every day that we can do something about. Given that there are so many, like this smoke, auto exhaust, industrial emissions, and such, that are only slowly being lessened as awareness grows, it is in our best interest to cut the number of irritants and toxins that we may inadvertently expose ourselves and our families to.

Air fresheners, scented candles, heavily scented soaps, dish, and laundry detergents... many of these rely on synthetic chemical fragrances to overwhelm our senses. Some of these chemicals are far from good for us, and are often the triggers for reactions for those with sensitivities. Chemical based household cleaners, pesticides and other products used in the home have caused the indoor air to be more polluted than outdoor air, even in cities, in some cases!

Remember that you can find fragrance-free or lightly scented, nontoxic and environmentally friendly products for all your needs at almost any store these days. And you can find everything you need for basic body and hair care at Simmons Natural Bodycare including a whole section of fragrance-free products.

Fire Update: As of June 28, the smoke just gets worse. It looks like a long, smokey summer ahead. To get the latest information on fires all around the United States check out this Fire Center site.
July Update: After a lovely 4 day reprieve, the smoke is back. There are simple face masks (small, similar to a painter mask in size and shape) that will filter out the smoke. If you are in an area with heavy smoke here is information on these respirator masks. They are available inexpensively in many places online as well as at medical supply and industrial supply stores.

In Memory of Rosie...

Our beloved old Australian Shepard, Rosie, died last week. That's her, with kid friends and with her good pal, the cat, Pepper. We miss her.

Rosie was my shadow and loyal pal, friend to all, and overseer of the farm. She lived the best possible dog life, to a ripe old age of 17 (119 in dog years?). A happy girl, ready to visit and play no matter how difficult for her increasingly arthritic bones, until the end.

May we all see life as excitedly as she did, each moment new, each being a potential friend, each hardship and ailment a mere aside to the things she wanted to do each day.

Heat wave! Here comes the Sun...

Wow! After all this unseasonably cold weather punctuated by a few warm (not hot) days, suddenly (like - overnight!) we are having a serious heat wave. A trip out to the coast to deliver soap and do chores today gave no relief, even the traditionally cool and foggy coast was in the 80's and 90's. And the coastal folks are not used to it.

Up in Arcata they used to have a bumper sticker that said "Arcatans don't tan, they rust". Presented with this unusual sun and heat, it seemed half the pale population was out in tank tops and shorts. From the look of it many of them will soon realize they have a serious case of sunburn. Oh dear.

It feels so good to finally get the chance to get outside and enjoy the sun... and then we are bombarded not just by the warmth and light, but by all the warnings about skin cancer and skin damage. What’s really happening and what should we do about it?

Well, first of all, relax. It’s not all bad news. That timeless adage “moderation in all things” pertains here as it does everywhere else.

Earth is habitable by humans and other life forms in large part because of it’s proximity to the sun. It is bathed in an invisible form of solar radiation called ultraviolet (UV) rays.
There are three types of UV rays: UVA; UVB; and UVC. UVA is the most abundant at earth’s surface level, and can penetrate below the top layer of skin. UVB rays are partially absorbed by the ozone layer, so are less abundant at the surface, and do not penetrate as deeply as UVA. UVB also stimulates the reaction that produces vitamin D, but UVB in excess causes sunburn and cell damage.
The most hazardous is UVC, but it is completely absorbed by earth’s stratospheric ozone layer. It’s the main reason we want to keep that ozone layer intact. Without it we fry.

After years of warning us to stay out of the sun or be covered with UV blocking sunscreen at all times, the medical community now is debating whether too little sun is as bad as too much. Not only does sunshine melt away the winter blues (seasonal affective disorder- SAD), it helps our bodies synthesize vitamin D. Current research shows many people are deficient in vitamin D and ongoing studies indicate the importance of vitamin D in preventing muscle and skeletal pain and a variety of cancers. This vitamin, which we require more of as we age, occurs naturally in salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish, but is difficult to get in high enough doses nutritionally or in supplements.

Hot off the Press: "UVB exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the body. This form of vitamin D also is available through diet and supplements. Studies have shown an association between higher levels of vitamin D3 and a lower risk of cancers of the breast, colon, ovary, and kidney." It may help prevent Diabetes as well.
Nonetheless, too much sun has been shown not only to accelerate wrinkles and rough, dry skin through a process called photoaging, but is directly linked to skin cancer and associated with various eye conditions, including cataracts, not to mention the immediate pain of sunburn.

So where is the balance? It depends on your location (Canada, say, or Mexico, for instance), age, time of day and year, and skin type.

The evidence indicates that exposure when you are young may matter most. Your risk of melanoma, the most severe form of skin cancer, is greatest if you had too much sun before the age of 20. Adolescence is the most dangerous time to get a sunburn for this reason. While recent exposure to the sun doesn't seem to be a factor in basal cell carcinoma (the commonest and mildest form), cumulative exposure at all ages is strongly associated with the skin growths that are a risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common and a more severe type of skin cancer.
Most medical professionals agree it is safe to sun 15 minutes at a time, a few times a week, without sunscreen. The rest of the time wear sunscreen with SPF15 or greater UVA and UVB protection, or light, long-sleeved shirts and long pants. You should always remember UV blocking sunglasses and wide brimmed hat. Try to avoid the most intense sun, from around 10a.m. to 4p.m., in the summer.

We carry UV Natural, a natural and effective sunscreen to help you maintain your sunshine balance. It rates in the top 5 of safest, most effective, sunscreens rated by the Environmental Working Group & Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
And, for burned or sun-dried skin, try our Simmons Cocoa Butter Creme. This all-natural basic balm for the body is formulated specifically to soften and soothe dry problem skin. Phenomenal for sunburn, it mosturizes & nourishes to help aid the skin's natural replenishing process.

By the way... Ever wondered exactly what SPF means? It is "Sun Protection Factor".
The SPF of a sunscreen refers to the strength of protection and the length of time a sun- screening product will allow your skin to be in the sun without burning, given that the average person can only remain in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes without burning.
Therefore, a SPF of 30 will provide about 300 minutes (5 hours) of sunburn protection.

What is your skin type?
I - Always burns, never tans, sensitive to sun
II - Burns easily, tans minimally
III - Burns moderately, tans gradually to light brown
IV - Burns minimally, always tans well to moderate brown
V - Rarely burns, tans readily to dark
VI - Never burns, deeply pigmented

While everyone is at risk with excessive sun exposure, skin types I & II are at the highest risk.
For more information, check out the following:
• Benefits of Sun Exposure
• About Vitamin D
• More on Vitamin D
For more on skin cancer:
The Skin Cancer Foundation

Simplicity

You may remember this Shaker song, "Simple Gifts", written in 1848:

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

I find myself wondering how we got ourselves into the situation where "going Green" can be viewed as being difficult, or where the idea of "going Green" is needed in the first place. And what it would actually take to lessen the overall impact of human's daily lives on the resources of the Earth and what techniques, technological or otherwise, can do that successfully.

Granted, ever since we moved from hunter gatherers to a less nomadic life, and our population increased to cover the globe, everywhere humans have settled over a period of time has been robbed of its resources. But I think we did learn how to work with it once we saw what was happening. At any rate, I have seen some great examples of land stewardship in folks who have lived in the same place, literally on the same property, for generations.
Those who do it successfully seem to always keep an eye on the future. They cut enough timber, graze enough cattle, farm enough land, to support them comfortably for the year and no more. And they leave enough timber and fallow fields to support them in years to come. Rotating crops, spreading manure, changing pastures, working with the seasons.

And then you see others move into a place and, with an eye on immediate prosperity, use it all up in a few short years. Overgrazing, monoculture and overlogging, reaping as many monetary benefits as possible in the short term and finding, at the end, that it is time to move on as the resource has run dry.

So here we are, the family of man, living on the earth and faced with the possibility that it may be starting to look like time to move on - and there's nowhere to go.

Before technology in the form of fast transportation, refrigeration, and fancy packaging made it possible for everything the heart desired (and the pocketbook could afford) to be available practically everywhere, all the time, there was very little waste. There were maxims like "waste not, want not" and a favorite of mine "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without". Being wasteful of food, clothes, tools, ANYTHING, was frowned upon.
Anymore, the opposite is true. Stores constantly must discard old and outdated food. Clothes, cars, accessories of all sorts - even telephones (oops - make that cellphones) go out of style. Even before they break or wear out things are deemed obsolete and relegated to the trash heap. And those aren't even things that were meant to be instantly disposable - disposable napkins, mops, diapers, towels, pens, plates, lighters, you name it... we are now a society raised on a need to always get more.

Who does this benefit? Often when investigators approach a situation they follow the money trail. I think that is the trail that leads to the answer here. The benefit in a disposable society goes to the folks who are selling (and selling, and selling again) the disposable commodities. The rest of us are just spending more money and sending more stuff to the dump.

The energy that has the least impact on the environment is our own personal physical energy. What it entails to get past a disposable life is often the expenditure of our own energy. If you use real towels or mop, you have to clean them. Rinse them out or throw them in the laundry, this really isn't that tough.

We now see what see what the high cost of energy does to food. Fuel for machinery and transportation, petroleum derived fertilizers added to production and packaging and the futures market on top of that. As the cost of food goes up, so does the cost of waste for the shopkeeper. Perishables are called perishables for a reason, and that cost has to be paid by someone. Either the consumer (us) pays even more or maybe the store will have to carry less products to reduce the risk of loss. Hmmmmm...

Meanwhile, it pays us to think about what the important basics are in our life.
We did that some years ago with our business, and now focus on personal daily care basics for a healthy, clean body. Great results can be achieved with a minimum of fancy additives, and it is healthier for you as well.

See our site for these body care products and tools, and see "The Story of Stuff" for a great description that connects the dots of how we became such a consumer oriented society.

Spring in the Garden... Baking in the Sun

Wahoo! A few consecutive days of warm, sunny weather! After weeks of on and off snow and a definite chill in the air, despite signs of spring like blooming daffodils and fruit trees, this warm interlude is very welcome.
We have been out in the garden preparing for the growing season. Working on the strawberry bed, mulching the rhubarb, weeding the asparagus, planting lettuce and peas, tending the garlic, and generally mowing down the cover crop and preparing to till and plant when our clay soil dries up some.
The end of winter/early spring is one of the least productive times in the garden, but we still have carrots, chard, beets, and even found a cabbage sprout that did not go to seed, but made a small cabbage instead. Better yet, there is finally new growth on the rhubarb and the asparagus is coming on.

Poor asparagus, the first spears that poked up were turned to mush by freezing cold. Now that it is not going below the mid - 30's we have been able to harvest the first of it. Even better, the rhubarb seems to have come up in force almost overnight!

We love rhubarb. Tart rhubarb pie with cold vanilla ice cream is to die for. We even like it made into a sauce to pour over custard or ice cream. This first rhubarb inspired me to indulge in one of our other favorite sunny day pastimes - cooking in our solar oven.

Solar ovens are wonderful. The first one here was modified cardboard boxes with foil lined reflectors and insulation between the boxes. It worked excellently, but despite our best care the cardboard started to warp and disintegrate in a couple of years. So we finally purchased a commercial one (then another!) and have been cooking in them almost every sunny day ever since, even in mid winter.
Think of them as a solar powered crock pot that also can bake. It is absolutely the best way to cook brown rice. Beans, stews, curries, lasagna, casseroles, pot roasts... all of these cook to perfection. Breads, cakes, brownies, and cobblers do just as well. We even use it to bake granola - which is the only thing we have ever burnt in it (oops...).

On the day we picked the rhubarb we just happened to have some organic strawberries I got in town, so it was obvious we had to make a strawberry - rhubarb treat.
I had already made some Spanish rice in the Sun Oven in the morning, so it was set up, pre-heated, and ready. I put together a quick and easy crisp and we had it by late afternoon, it cooked while we worked in the garden. All we had to do was check it and turn the oven now and then.
Now, you can easily cook in a solar oven without turning it. Just aim it somewhat west of the direct sun so the sun will hit it for the longest period of time. We built a giant turntable for ours using the base for a "Lazy Susan" and a scrap piece of countertop. This way we can turn it to follow the sun all day using a wedge to hold it in place so it doesn't turn freely in the wind.

You can build a solar oven easily yourself. There are many plans available on the internet, from simple Pizza Box "warming" ovens to a good basic cardboard box model: Solar oven plans . Lots of good information and more plans are in the book, "Heaven's Flame" .

For a wonderful, durable, reasonably priced solar oven, we use and recommend the Global SunOven.
Links to more information and cookbooks can be found at: Morning Hill
By the way, you will want some glass casserole dishes with lids. Colored glass is best, but they can be hard to find and/or expensive. K mart had the least expensive new ones I could find, and they crop up all the time in second hand stores.
--------------------
Now, about the Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp... Here is the recipe:

Solar Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Use all organic ingredients, if possible.
3 to 4 cups fresh rhubarb stalks, cut in 1 inch chunks
1 pint of Strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1 Tbsp minute Tapioca
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1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour (whole wheat or white)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)(optional)
a pinch of salt
5 Tbsp. butter, melted (you could use oil, but it is not near as tasty)
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Preheat your Solar Oven.
Mix the fruit, sweetener and tapioca in a 2 1/2qt casserole or 9"x 9"x 2" baking dish, set aside.
In a medium size bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients. Add the melted butter and stir until just mixed. Now sprinkle the oat mixture over the fruit and pat lightly.
Bake in the solar oven until top is crisp and browned and the fruit is bubbling up around the edges, 40 minutes to 1 hour (or more) as needed.
Best served still warm with ice cream.

I would love for others to share their favorite spring and/or solar oven recipes.

Earth Day Every Day

Happy Earth Day!
For us the idea of Earth Day is an everyday affair. It is our passion and our challenge and, likely, our duty to the future, to keep our planet healthy. Being "Green" is a way of life, not a one day a year experiment. Our recent big project was finally upgrading our electric system and completing our Solar PV (Photo Voltaic) panel array.

We have been working on our power system here since 1977. When we moved to this very rural property and began to build our home the electricity diverted away from the highway and up over the mountain, about a mile before it got to us. The price to get the power down to our location was way out of our reach. No problem, we had spent plenty of time living and working with kerosene lamplight, we were young, our eyesight good, and we already had a propane refrigerator and wood heat and cook stoves.
This served us well for a few years, until our oldest daughter, then 9, wanted to read to herself and her siblings in her bedroom. We got wall mounted kerosene lamp fixtures for her room and then realized that one pillow fight and the whole house could burn down! We became the lighting police and worried constantly. As a result we soon rigged up a car battery to a 12 volt interior lamp from an RV. This worked great but the battery did not last long, so we collected several and then, when we made the long drive to town in our pick-up truck, charged all the batteries with a jumper cable from the truck battery that came out the hood and wove through the mirror and passenger side door handle into the back of the truck where they were hooked up. You had to be careful not to forget when you went to get out of the truck!

Once the early PV panels became available we were able to get some of the used Arco PV panels that had been removed from some huge installation I believe AmTrak or some such had dismantled. If you know any off-grid "Old Timers", chances are they have had some of these Arco panels. Thus began our love affair with off-grid renewable energy.

It has been a long and adventurous road since then. The technology has changed and improved dramatically over the years and it is amazing to see what you can do setting up a new system, off-grid or inter-tie, these days. For those of us who are just upgrading it is a bit more difficult. Since we often have to match our old equipment (preferable to discarding it and starting anew) finding compatible PV panels and parts to fill out an existing system can be challenging. Luckily we found a great deal on used panels from - you got it - a large project that had been disassembled! It is like coming full circle.

What we have achieved is a system big enough to power our home and business without having to check if the washing machine is on spin cycle before we use the soap cutter or laser printer. We switched from 12 volt to 24 volt and got a bigger inverter to convert the power to 120volt. Now all we have to do is rewire the 12 volt house!

The system has 8 - 75 to 85 watt BP PV panels, 7 - 80 watt AEE PV panels, which match perfectly and are alternated on the array, and 5 new panels (on lower left), slightly larger Solec 80 watt panels, to fill it out. These, along with our Whisper H80 wind generator, charge the 8 deep cycle Rolls batteries that actually run the house. A new OutBack 3.5KW 24Volt inverter rounds it out, although there are other misc. charge controllers and gadgets as well. We also have a small pelton wheel for micro-hydro power but, until we switch it up to 24 volt as well, it is off line.
Even though we are now more power - full than ever, we still have to be mindful of our power usage. Living on batteries is sometimes quite limited. Particularly when it is cloudy, windless weather. Powering down everything when not in use, from lightbulbs to this computer, is essential. Everything with a standby load is on a powerstrip we can turn off.

But since I cannot tell an Amp from an Ohm, that is the sum of my "Tech-Talk". I just love being able to reap the benefits - like writing on this blog on my solar electric powered iMac!

Want to reap a little solar power from us? Try a bar of our "solar powered soap"! All the ingredients came from plants powered by photo synthesis, and all the machinery involved runs on our alternative energy system. Go here to see our soaps.

Into the Future...

The girls of the Future

Here they are - the girls of the future! These are our four grand- daughters. Every time we think of them it reminds us how important it is to quit dwelling on the mistakes of the past, which have gotten us in to the situations we face now, and put our energy into creating the future that will sustain these growing youth and their future families as well.

Our family tries to live consciously. That is, we try to be aware of the effect our actions will have on the world around us. There are so many levels to that, we are always discovering new ones. And while I suspect we will never quite think of everything, you can never feel bad about doing the best you can. And you always aspire to do better, always learning more about the connections between your actions and the environment.

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world. - John Muir, naturalist, explorer, and writer (1838-1914)

We just had the 3 older girls here for just over a week, and it was a good exercise in teaching them some basic green/conscious living principles.
It was a challenge for them, but they quickly mastered our crazy recycling system: burnable (newspaper for starting fires), compostable, recyclable (5 categories!), and what we call "Total Garbage". Remembering to turn out the lights when you leave the area was harder, and hardest still was remembering that chickens do not get meat scraps or orange or banana peels. The dogs get the meat treats and the garden compost and worm pile get the other. We use cloth napkins, and everyone has their special ceramic or glass cup to drink from that gets washed once a day or when needed. They help me hang their clean wet clothes on our "solar and wind- powered clothesline"!

They love to gather the eggs from the hens and help us in the garden, not bad for a bunch of city girls. We try to teach them where their food comes from and about birds and bugs and which wild plants are poisonous and which are edible and why not to pick ALL the wildflowers in any one spot.

We cook with them, everything from bread to pizza to energy bars, all from scratch. We do not eat anything that comes pre-made in a package. We drink cider that they helped us press from apples last fall. We walk.
And we can tell from their response that this is not all normal fare for them and that they love to see the connection between things - those little "Aha!" moments where the dots connect and they see how one thing in life acts with another.

To see these connections, the effect one action has on other things, that knowledge is the first step toward living a conscious life that will sustain us into the future.

"We should try to be the parents of our future rather than the offspring of our past."
- Miguel de Unamuno, writer and philosopher (1864-1936)